What are the qualifications for youth applicants?

To be eligible as a delegate, a youth must:

Be 15 years old by Jan. 1, 2015 and cannot be older than 19 by June 1, 2015; and must be at least a sophomore in high school. (Note: Selection preference will be for youth delegates who are sophomores and juniors in high school during 2014-2015 school year.)

Be concerned about community issues and motivated to design and carryout action plans to address identified issues through "Taking it Home" Community Action Plan requirement (pre-, during-, and post-conference expectations).

Have flexibility to meet changing situations and have growth potential and a curiosity about situations, people, and events.

Demonstrate strong interpersonal and speaking skills.

Commit to pre-conference expectation: 1) three conference calls; 2) study and reporting knowledge of Minnesota 4-H program via e-mail; 3) one webinar; 4) study of pre-materials from National 4-H Conference staff; 5) come to a group consensus on "Taking it Home" Community Action Plan expectation whether to accomplish individually or as a group.

Complete the Paying it Forward "Taking it Home" Community Action Plan Agreement.

Share your experience with identified stakeholders through a video presentation designed individually or by all Minnesota youth delegate National 4-H Conference participants.

Be willing to receive the resources necessary to make you successful.

Selection of Minnesota delegates

A committee of Extension educators and a program coordinator will select up to four youth to attend. Consideration for selection is based on contents included in delegate nomination/recommendation forms and interview (as outlined under "Application process steps" below). 4-H program staff are encouraged to seek qualified youth candidates for nomination.

How much does it cost?

Minnesota cost for selected delegate is $990. Nominees are encouraged to seek financial support for the registration fee from their local 4-H council/federation and other local community organizations. County 4-H federations/leaders councils are encouraged to help defray some of the cost if their 4-H member is appointed to attend this National Conference. The National 4-H Conference is supported in part by the Minnesota 4-H Foundation.

What will we do at the conference?

Attendees have the opportunity to share ideas, meet 4-H members from across the nation, bring back new ideas and skills, share personal stories with members of Congress, learn about National 4-H headquarters and USDA, study social issues identified by federal agencies and report group findings and solutions back to the federal agency, bring back an action plan to be carried out through "Taking it Home" Community Action Plan process.

Is there an expectation upon returning home?

Delegates may be asked to share their experience with stakeholders and/or funders.

Delegates will be asked to work either individually or together to design and carryout an action plan to address an identified community issue. Delegates will be asked to share with peers in their home county "lessons learned and new ideas" and recruit others to carry out this identified "Taking it Home" Community Action Plan.

Registration and expectation dates

Nov. 18, 2014

Postmark date for delegate nomination/recommendation forms.

Dec. 4 or 5, 2014

Tentative - Selected applicant's phone or skype interview.

Dec. 20, 2014

Letters sent to all 2015 National 4-H Conference Minnesota applicants.

Additional timeline for selected delegates:

Jan. 28, 2015

$990 fee due for each selected Minnesota delegate.

Feb. 3, 2015

Refund of fees request deadline.

April 10-16, 2015

Travel and conference dates.

April-Dec., 2015

Complete and carryout "Taking it Home" Community Action Plan. Participate in evaluation.

Application process steps

4-H staff must recommend and submit recommendation form for 4-H staff to Diane Lambrecht/Judith A. Conway with deadline date postmarked no later than Nov. 18, 2014. Qualifications for eligibility are listed above. Please send form directly to Extension staff identified. Do not give to youth applicant.

Youth delegate will take responsibility to identify and deliver recommendation form for non-relative adult to the adult reference of your choice (other than relative) as noted in recommendation form. Youth delegate will also follow-up to make sure postmark dates are met. Adult recommendation on delegate nomination/recommendation form is due to Diane Lambrecht/Judith A. Conway with deadline date postmarked no later than Nov. 18, 2014. Please send form directly to Extension staff identified. Do not give to youth applicant.

Youth nominated will fill out youth applicant application form and answer questions about themselves from their perspective. Nomination/recommendation form is due to Diane Lambrecht/Judith A. Conway with deadline date postmarked no later than Nov. 18, 2014. Youth are responsible to make sure that all steps are completed in the application process. Youth should contact their County 4-H program coordinator to see if there are additional county requirement.

A 15-minute conference call phone interview will be held by the selection committee with the top 10 applicants. Phone interviews will take place tentatively during the day of either Dec. 4 or 5. Conference call or skype interview will consist of:

Interview questions

One-minute marketing speech on knowledge of the 4-H Youth Development program (with emphasis on telling someone about the 4-H Youth Development program who does not have knowledge of this program)

One-minute comments on the following: identification of a community issue and identifying a possible community action plan that would address the issue

Youth delegates are asked to consider what skills are necessary to accomplish a successful phone or skype interview.